


A Constellation in the Sky

by hypereuni



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Dysfunctional Family, Family Drama, Family Fluff, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gen, Not A Fix-It, Possessive Behavior, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-05
Updated: 2017-12-26
Packaged: 2019-01-29 14:38:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12633120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hypereuni/pseuds/hypereuni
Summary: Orion becomes a doting father and the world changes. Just a little bit. AU





	1. House 12, Grimmauld Place

August 3, 1957, Islington, London

The people that lived on the block were already quite used to the numbering scheme on the buildings that had number 11 jump to number 13. A mistake, they grumbled amongst themselves, before dismissing the oddity from their minds in favor of the football game on the telly. No, number 12 never existed, they explained, patiently at first, then with increasing exasperation to the rather peculiarly dressed men in cloaks who inquired after the place. The men did not seem to mind the chilly reception; they would give the responder a curt nod of thanks and then proceed to sit on the doorsteps of the street facing houses 11 and 13 until the gas lamps flickered on, eyes narrowed, as if waiting for something to slip out between the infinitesimal space between the two houses. From time to time, one of them would start excitedly, only to deflate moments later with a disappointed expression on his face. None of them seemed to find what they were looking for and gradually, the number of odd men in cloaks dwindled as the seasons changed and the years passed. None of the current residents could ever remember the fact that they had ever existed.

On this particular Saturday afternoon, no one was paying much attention to the gap between houses 11 and 13. The sweltering summer heat had driven the residents of the block off the streets and into the relative coolness of their homes or the neighborhood pool. Only the small cat by the window facing the two townhouses, eyes half-lidded with sleep, paid attention to the events that occurred later. The air in front of houses 11 and 13 seemed to ripple and the ground trembled before the two buildings were forced apart. Mortar crumbled into sand; bricks and aged wood shuffled away from the yawning gap, neatly slotting themselves in different configurations to make way for white marble slabs that rapidly filled the empty space. When the last piece of the marble facade slid in, House 12, Grimmauld Place, ripped apart the last remaining seams between its neighbors and settled into place.

After a moment, the air gave one final shudder before depositing two men in front of Grimmauld Place. The men were attired in the same fashion as the strangers of long before. The taller man cut a stylish figure in flamboyant emerald robes; the shorter one was clothed in more conservative robes that were no less elegant. It was clear from their dark hair and pallid skin that the two were related by blood. Both were rather handsome, although the shorter man wore a scowl on his face that made him look older than his actual age. The taller man glanced at his companion and sighed dramatically.

"Walburga will have my head on a plate if you keep that up, Orion," the taller man drawled. "You know how much my dear sister adores that face of yours, and I've promised to accompany Druella to my mother-in-law's ball tomorrow. I'd rather have my head on my shoulders if you don't mind, my dear." If it was even possible, Orion scowled harder, brushing past the other man to yank the door handle. "How can I not worry, Cygnus?" Orion snapped, already stepping into the foyer, Cygnus following closely behind. "My own head is on the line if this child is not born. You should know." The smirk on Cygnus' face became a little strained. "I'm sure the child is fine. You will be fine," Cygnus said. "Walburga likes you too much to get you killed, after all." The door to number 12 closed behind them with a bang, the facade of the building already disintegrating. Within a few moments, Grimmauld Place was out of sight.


	2. Cassiopeia

"Sister?" Cygnus called out. A shriek came from the third floor of the house, and Orion grimaced. "Kreacher!" he growled, and a misshapen creature clothed in a pillowcase appeared with a sharp crack.

"Master called?" the creature mumbled, and then muttered, "My unworthy Master is finally here, what would my poor Mistress say?"

"Shut up, elf," Orion snarled and the house elf flinched. "How is the child? Has my heir been born?" The house elf glared at the wizard.

"Mistress has been pushing and pushing the young Miss for hours," Kreacher grudgingly said, and Orion startled. "The young Miss is safe, but my Mistress, oh my poor Mistress," and at this, the house elf dissolved into a puddle of tears and muddy snot.

"Stop that racket this instant, you filthy thing," Orion raised his wand and Kreacher squealed. "Young Miss? I thought Walburga carried a son." Kreacher hiccuped and started wailing, "The House of Black is finished, Mistress is dying and Master doesn't care and poor Kreacher, poor Kreacher…"

"SILENCE!" Orion thundered and the elf subsided, sniffling audibly. Scowling, he dismissed the elf and it obeyed with another sharp crack of Apparition. His scowl had rather incredibly deepened even further. "A daughter cannot carry on the name of Black," he muttered to himself. Cygnus, who had been amusedly watching the two, clapped him on the shoulder.

"At least my dear sister is on her deathbed, cousin," he chortled, "You'll be free to marry another witch if you so wish." At this, Orion brightened considerably and his scowl almost disappeared, making him look years younger. "That is true," he said wistfully, before his scowl returned, "but the Patriarch would assign me another witch to bind to." He shuddered. "Walburga cares too much for me to harm my body. I would rather her than a minx after the Black fortune, or one of his previous paramours." Cygnus nodded thoughtfully.

"At the very least, my dear sister has never directed her," Cygnus paused for a moment, "gentle manner towards you. She has always loved you, you know." Orion's face distorted with disgust. "Yes," Orion said drily, heading toward the staircase, "Her obsession with me has chained me to this house."

Walburga, true to Cygnus' word, was a rather bad-tempered witch. Her infamous temper tantrums, which were bloody awful, went on for days and progressively grew worse as she grew older, although they had stopped quite abruptly whenever Orion was in the vicinity. It was obvious from early on that Walburga fancied Orion, and it was just as apparent that the younger boy did not return the sentiment. When Orion turned thirteen years of age, his uncle Pollux, goaded by his daughter, reluctantly petitioned Orion's father for an engagement between their families. Arcturus Black, finding the idea of Walburga as his daughter-in-law unpalatable, firmly refused. Infuriated, Walburga had then taken matters into her own hands. Seizing Orion in the middle of the night, she marched him into Grimmauld Place and in front of everyone, threatened old Sirius Black, the previous Black Patriarch, to throw another fit right then and there. The Patriarch paled.

The old man had given Orion an apologetic look before he conjured up the papers binding Orion and Walburga together. Walburga's eyes had greedily appraised Orion as he stood there, shivering in a thin nightshirt. 'Mine,' the older girl had whispered, smiling frightfully, 'the best of Black blood, joined together.'

Orion hurried down the corridor, his brother-in-law hot at his heels. A mewling cry rang from the master bedroom at the end of the hallway and Orion ran, heart pounding, pushing the door open.

Walburga looked exhausted, her chest rising and falling shallowly. Her beetle-black eyes stared accusingly at him. "Where were you?" she weakly spat, "I was nearly dead from the pain, you fool, and I told you to come quickly. I was suffering for hours because the brat didn't come out when he was supposed to." Orion tuned her out. Pity she didn't die from the childbirth, he thought bitterly, before turning his attention to the bundle in the midwife's arms. "How is the child?" he questioned the woman. The midwife smiled.

"I congratulate you, my Lord, my Lady," the woman simpered, holding the bundle towards Orion, "she's a beautiful child." Walburga suddenly stilled.

"I have no need for a girl," she growled. "What happened to the boy that I was promised?" The midwife looked confused.

"Lady Black, I assure you, we have not deceived you," she said carefully. Walburga looked enraged.

"I SAID, I HAVE NO NEED FOR A GIRL!" she roared, "a GIRL cannot carry on our noble lineage." She struck out with her hand, and the vase on the side table fell and broke, scattering Pepper Imps all over the floor (it was an ugly vase, short and squat, from Orion's sister Lucretia. Orion had used it to store sweets). "A GIRL cannot solidify Orion's place as the next Patriarch of our family. There are others who seek to displace him." She glared at Cygnus, who shrugged elegantly and crossed his arms.

A thin wailing from the bundle he had taken from the midwife distracted Orion from the argument. "Hush child," he whispered, awkwardly adjusting her in his arms. "Hush." The child slowly quieted. He looked down and smoothed the curls of black hair, absently studying her features. She had the distinctive Black features, black hair and paper-white skin. His straight patrician nose, rosebud lips. His curls, as opposed to Walburga's lank hair. She whimpered and blinked. Grey eyes. His own eyes, staring back at him from the blankets he clutched to his chest.

She was beautiful. Nothing like her, Orion realized, my child. Wholly my child, his heart sang, and he laughed brightly, silencing his wife's shrill tones. He ignored the others in the room, who simply stared at him. "Your eyes are like stars," he murmured. She nuzzled her little nose against his palm, blinking grey eyes at him. He rocked her in his arms, eliciting a burble of laughter, and he chuckled again. If he didn't know any better, he would have sworn that the brat was laughing at him.

"What are you blathering to the little idiot, Orion?" Walburga shrilled. Orion merely shot her a pointed look and she subsided, muttering angrily. He returned to his daughter's eyes, seemingly crinkled with amusement.

"I suppose you haven't thought of a name for the girl?" Cygnus asked after a moment of tense silence. Orion blinked, looking up at his cousin.

"No," he admitted, shifting the child (children were heavy, he noted). He could feel the little one's breath slowly even out, her heartbeat beating rhythmically against his chest. "We were expecting a boy." He listened to the quick thump of the child's heart.

"How about Cassiopeia?" Cygnus said, slyly glancing at his sister. "After Aunt Peia, of course." Walburga stiffened. Cassiopeia Black was the only relation to openly go against their engagement.

"For Merlin's sake, Sirius,' she had chided the Patriarch, who had been feebly searching for a Pepper-up potion in his desk after Walburga had left triumphantly with Orion in tow, 'you're selling your grandson to that chit! Mark my words, our House is headed for destruction if you bow down to that hussy." The Patriarch, infuriated, banished Aunt Peia to a remote Black property in the middle of the Albanian woods, but didn't have the heart to blast her off the family tapestry.

"Cassiopeia is a fine name," Orion decided, ignoring his wife's outraged squawk. He looked down at his daughter's black curls. "Cassiopeia Lyra Black."

**Author's Note:**

> AN: Feel free to let me know what worked, what needs improvement, etc etc. I would love to hear what you think!


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